We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual being on a human Journey.

Heaven

I confess; I love electronic gadgets. (Unfortunately, I cannot afford most of them.) But the one device I probably use the most is my GPS. I use it even if I know how to reach my destination because the GPS “might” know a faster route.

When using a GPS, it will ask the user if they want to start at their present location. To most of us, that is a mute question. Of course, I want to start at my current location! But the GPS cannot give you directions unless it has all the information.

People who desire a relationship with God, know they are not where they should be, spiritually speaking, but the problem is they do not know where to start. Many people think they need to “get their act together” before they can come to God. They think must give up this, stop doing that, start going to church, etc. It is sometimes difficult to convince people that they are sinners Romans 3:23. Many believe there has to be something they need to do before they can come before God. Titus 3:5

God’s GPS tells us where we are; we are separated from God [lost] and we need to confess to Him that we need a Savior. Only by fully trusting Jesus’ death on the cross as payment for our sins; can we be made right with God. Once you trust Christ to forgive your sins; God’s GPS (The Holy Spirit) will guide you to your destination. John 16:13

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6

This year, I will be 70 years old. I don’t feel it, well, at least, most of the time. But as I get further into the last chapter(s) of my life, a thought keeps popping into my head. Has my life really mattered? Will anyone remember 100 years from now that I walked this earth for X number of years? Or did I just occupy space?

I probably will not leave this earth insanely rich or write a best-selling novel. It is highly unlikely that I will discover a cure for cancer. Very few will reach the level of being a legendary sports figure. While there has been many men and women who have achieved greatness, none have impacted humanity and history like Jesus Christ. His life has not only transformed individuals but it has also changed entire nations!

I know that no person can ever reach the level of influence that Jesus did but as a Christ-follower, my goal in life is to pattern my life after Him. I John 2.6 While on earth, He invested His life into the lives of His twelve disciples and they inturn invested their lives into others. The only way for your life to count, is to spiritually reproduce your life into the lives of others!

TThere’s an old story about an elderly woman who was told by her physician that she probably wouldnt’live much longer. Soon there after, she called in her pastor to discuss her funeral arrangements. They talked about how the service would be, music she would like sung, scriptures to be read, etc. As the conversation was winding down, the woman remarked, “There’s one thing that’s very important: I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand.”

Her pastor was understandably puzzled by that remark, and he couldn’t contain his curiosity. “That is interesting. Would you care to tell why?”

The woman explained. In all my years of attending church socials and functions where food was involved; my favorite part was when whoever was clearing away the dishes of the main course would lean over and say ‘you can keep your fork.’ It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming. When they told me to keep my fork I knew that something great was about to be given to me. It wasn’t Jell-O or pudding. It was cake or pie. Something with substance. So I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder ‘What’s with the fork?’ Then I want you to tell them: ‘Something better is coming so keep your fork too.’ The pastor’s eyes were welled up with tears of joy as he hugged the woman good-bye.

At the funeral people were walking by the woman’s casket and they saw the pretty dress she was wearing and her favorite bible and the fork placed in her right hand. Over and over the pastor heard the question What’s with the fork? And over and over he smiled. During his message the pastor told the people of the conversation he had with the woman shortly before she died. He also told them about the fork and about what it symbolized to her. The pastor told the people how he could not stop thinking about the fork and told them that they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.

So the next time you reach down for your fork, let it remind you oh so gently that there is something better coming.

Don’t store up treasures on earth! Moths and rust can destroy them, and thieves can break in and steal them. Instead, store up your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy them, and thieves cannot break in and steal them.” Matthew 6:19-20

We have all heard the commercials about investing in precious metals; gold or silver. One advertisement tells us to buy silver. Why? Because silver is at the lowest price it has been in years! Logic: Buy low – sell high.

Another company tells us to buy gold. Why? It is at its highest price ever, so buy now before the price of gold again. Then they ask “What is in your wallet?” The implication is – what are you trusting for your future? Jesus words does not condemn wise investing. Matthew 25:14-26

What makes a “wise” investment?

Security. The TV ads try to convince you buying silver or gold is safe. Not true. But Jesus said if you store your treasure in heaven; it is 100% safe.

If you were to ask the average person on the street “How many ways are there to God you would get a variety of answers. And most people think that their approach is the right approach. It is sad but most people truly believe they are right when in actuality they are wrong. You must understand that there are only TWO approaches to God. One is right the other is wrong. Jesus showed the right approach in Luke 18.

The two main characters, the Pharisee and a tax collector, represent the man’s two approaches to God. The Pharisee’s approach was all based on self: self-centered, self-righteous and self-effort. We could call it “Personal Performance.” The tax collector’s approach was humble and repentant. His was based on “Personal Pardon.”

In people’s thinking, their actions are like a set of balance scales. On one side is all the things they do that are “good.” On the other side is all the “bad” things they do. If they do more good than bad, if the scale tips down on the good side; God will grant the entrance into heaven. That sounds good because we have been taught all of lives that good people go to heaven and bad people go to hell. But that is Scriptually wrong. Good people do not go to heaven. Forgiven people go to heaven.

“You were saved by faith in God, who treats us much better than we deserve.This is God’s gift to you, and not anything you have done on your own. It isn’t something you have earned, so there is nothing you can brag about.” {Ephesians 2:8-9}

It is impossible to do enough good things to earn your way to heaven. [Personal Performance] It is only through faith in Jesus Christ that we can enter heaven. [Personal Pardon].